Tray carrier



June 6, 1950 o. MEERS 2,510,646

TRAY CARRIER Filed May 4, 1949 2 Shets-Sheet 1 I5 INVENTOR 077a Mes/P5.

/9 M M M r ATTORNEYS 0. MEERS TRAY CARRIER June 6, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 4, 1949 INVENTOR 077-0 WEE/P5.

BY 7 66% MTJ ATTORNEYS Patented June 6, 1950 TRAY CARRIER Otto Meers, New York, N. Y.; Edwina Meers, executrix of said Otto Meers, deceased Application May 4, 1949, Serial No. 91,353

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to tray carriers of the type wherein a serving tray or the like is conveniently suspended from or attached to the person of the user. Devices heretofore designed for a similar purpose and with which I am familiar involve various disadvantages. In some cases, the complexity of their structure makes them too bulky and unduly increases their cost beyond their reasonable value in use. In other instances, these tray carriers are of unsightly appearance and difficult to clean. An object of my invention has been to provide a, tray carrier of the kind indicated which will be substantially free from the disadvantages above noted.

My invention is embodied in a combination of a main frame or suspending member and tray supporting means cooperating therewith, said main frame including in one form a shank portion having suspending means arranged at or near the upper end thereof and adapted to be readily attached to and detached from a wearer or user of the device and a lower portion at the opposite or lower end of the shank and having means engaging and supporting the tray whereby the latter may be releasably carried by the main frame. Thetray supporting means in this combination has portions formed to engage with said lower portion of the main frame and other parts arranged and adapted to engage the rim portion of a serving tray or the like.

An embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the drawings accompanying this specification and wherein Figure 1 is a view in perspective illustrating one form of a tray carrier in a typical position of use and with a tray in position thereon;

Figure 2, a view in perspective of the device illustrated in Figure 1 but on an enlarged scale and showing certain other parts not visible in Figure 1;

Figure 3, a, fragmentary view in perspective illustrating on enlarged scale details of construction of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2 and with the parts assembled for use;

Figure 4, an exploded view illustrating the construction of a portion of the main frame and the construction of one form of tray supporting frame in detached relation thereto;

Figure 5, an enlarged fragmentary view in end elevation of the device shown in Figure 3;

Figure 6, a view in perspective illustrating a modification; and

Figure 7, an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section showing details of construction of the modified form of device illustrated in Figure 6.

As seen in the drawings, a complete tray carrier assembly according to my invention includes a main frame or suspending member provided with a shank portion In, and a separate tray engaging and supporting device attachable to and detachable from said main frame. suspending or attaching means in the form of a hook-shaped terminal II is provided at the upper end of shank l0. At its lower end, said shank Ill carries a laterally extending cross piece I 2. Where the frame is made of wire or a wire-like material, the cross piece l2 conveniently forms part of a rectangularly shaped lower member arranged and adapted to cooperate with said separate tray engaging frame and having lateral end pieces H! extending downwardly from the cross piece 12 and connected at their lower ends by a straight piece 14.

In the embodimentillustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, a separate tray engaging and supporting member or frame also made of wire or wire-like material is conveniently formed with a generally rectangular contour. One side member l5 thereof is deformed to provide means whereby the tray engaging and supporting frame may conveniently be attached to and detached from the main frame. For this purpose, said side member I5 is bent to form, in effect, a pair of spaced hook members l6, one'being located at each side of the shank II) when the parts are assembled as illustrated in Figure 3, said hook members I6 being spaced apart by the loop I1 formed in side member l5. End pieces l8 and an outer side member l9 complete the rectangularly shaped separate frame.

When the separate tray engaging frame above described is assembled with the main frame, laterally extending end portions of the side member I 5 lie across and bear against portions of the vertical end pieces l3 of the main frame. Side member I5 is shaped to extend rearwardly behind cross piece l2, as indicated more clearly in Figure 5, then passes upwardly over said cross piece I2 to form the hook members It return portions of which extend downwardly and outwardly in such relation to the remainder of the separate frame as to engage and retain the rim 2!] of a tray 2|, or the like when the latter is operatively positioned on said frame. Other portions of hooks l6 extend upwardly and rearwardly to form the open loop I! which passes to the rear of shank Ill when the parts are assembled as shown. Thus, the detachable frame above described engages and supports the tray 2| and is itself releasably supported by the main frame substantially at right angles to the axis of the shank l0 thereof and in such a manner that curved portions of hook is rest firmly upon the cross piece [2; and said separate frame is prevented from swinging downwardly or rotating in relation to said cross piece by the engagement of loop I! at the rear of shank Hi and by the engagement of portions of the side member against adjacent portions of the end pieoesvliki In operation, the main frameis suspended upon the person of the user as indicated in Figurev l with the detachable frame engaged therewith. A tray as 2! is brought into operative supported poa sition thereon by inserting portions of the rim 2!] thereof inwardly to a position behind the shank above the level of said cross piece and spaced portions overlying said cross piece, said tray! supporting frame also including a tray rim retaining member having portions extending forwalidlsfanddownwardly and portions which bear hooks l6, as indicated in Figure 5 andwith its 1% rearwardly against said spaced members.

bottom wall resting on the endgpieces Iii andthe, side piece l9.

In the modified form oi device shown in-Figures 6 and '7, the detachable tray engaging and supporting member isformedfrom sheeizmateria-li as metal; plastic or other suitablesubstanee: In this case, a metalisheet onthe like, (Inappropriate size and shape: has one edgeportion formedas heck 22 of reduced width in relation tothe: remainder of the sheetiand such thatfitwill pass betweenthe: ver tioal end pieces: Said? hook 22 is-provided wit-ha=slot wa-rranged and adapt ed to engage shah-k1 w when the parts areass sembled as shown in Figu-re frt Said sheet also provides: a back: plate- 2 55 having portions bearingrearwardly against the: end pieces I 3; when assembled as shown, said back plate- 2d beingconnected to the: hooks: 22 by anobliquely= disposed portion- 25 which: provides-v a convenient means ion engaging: and supporting: a part of-- tray 2P when rim' 21b thereof-' is: en gagecl behind hooks 22.

In operation; the trayengaging'member comprising the hooks 22* is first:- releasably-attached tothe main-- frame: so thatshank: M iseinbraced in-the slot 28 between hoolcsfl; portions on which rest; upon the cross piece l2 while;- end: portions of: the back plate 2'4 bean rearwardly against the e'ndpieces 13'; Whenatray* 21- orthe-like-is engaged with rim under the hooks-'22, and the partsare assembl'ed as shownthe-- tray will be effectively supported on the-*usenfi person I in substantiallythe position as seen in: Figure 1.

13 claim:

1 In a-portable-individual'traycarrier tl'ie com 2:. llmnpoiitadolegindividual tray carrier the combinationof a main frame which includes a shank portion, a suspending member at one end thereof and a cross piece extending laterally from said shank: and'- spaced members: extending downwardly from sarid cross piece; and a tray sup porting=frame attachable toandldetachablofrom REFERENCES! GLTED3- The following; references are of record in, the file, of this; patent? SIIATES. EA'I'EN S.

Number Name Date 4428,54 3 Eund:: ,Mayflm 18903 283,389? Wil1s .et .al:. Oct; 29,-. 19-18! 136303889 Clankei May 21+, 192??! 2,289,945: Wadsach July: 141, 1942i 

